


Passing Notes

by swanqueenfic13



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Red Beauty AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-21
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-27 08:52:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5041918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swanqueenfic13/pseuds/swanqueenfic13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>High school AU in which Ruby is caught passing notes, and is forced to read them aloud.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Passing Notes

“Ah, Miss Lucas, passing notes are we? How old school chic,” Mr. Gold smirks as he stands in front of her desk, leaning on his cane. “Was I boring you? Is there some reason-” he rolls the ‘r’r on “reason” because he’s a theatrical idiot (in Ruby’s opinion). “-that you cannot share this with the class?”

“Um, no, sir, I wasn’t trying to pass notes or anything-” he interrupts her embarrassed stammering by snatching the folded paper, looking at the name scrawled on the front.

“Well, it’s addressed to Miss French,” he smirks, gesturing at her. The mortified Ruby ducks her head as he drops the paper back on her desk. She peeks across the room to look at Belle, sitting front and center, turned around to look at Mr. Gold. “Stand up, Miss Lucas,” he says. Ruby can feel her entire face go red, and she knows what he’s about to do. Mr. Gold loves to catch people texting in class, and makes them read their entire conversation to the entire class. Now, he’s going to do that to her.

“No, please, Mr. Gold, I’ll do a month’s detention, but don’t make me read this. It isn’t even really a note, technically. Please,” Ruby begs quietly, her eyes darting around as her classmates snicker.

“Then what is it? Technically?” he asks, his grin growing wider.

“It’s more like a-a-a letter,” Ruby offers. He nods.

“Alright, Miss Lucas. Please stand up, and read your _letter_ to the class.” Ruby whimpers, but stands.

“Dear Belle,” she mumbles, so quiet that no one can hear her.

“Louder, dearie. And do hurry up; we have more learning to do today,” he giggles. Ruby is so angry, frustrated, and embarrassed that she wants to cry, but she reads louder.

“Dear Belle, I feel stupid writing this.” Everyone laughs. “But whenever I try to say it, I get nervous, and I start talking about basketball, or grammar, or Latin conjugations, anything really random and stupid.” More laughter. Belle cocks her head, leaning her elbow on the desk behind her to better look at Ruby, resting her chin in her palm. Ruby’s knees start to shake. “But if I don’t get this out, I’m going to explode. Not literally, of course, but you know, figuratively. So, I’m just gonna write it. Okay? Are you ready? Here goes: Isabelle French, you are my best friend in the entire world, and I’m, like, 95% certain that I love you. And not in a “best friends” way. In a “holy crap, I wanna shove you against a locker and make out with you” way.” There’s an audible gasp in the classroom, and Gold giggles again.

“Ooh, a romance! A love declaration! I love it, keep going,” he laughs, clapping his hands. Ruby gulps, afraid to look at Belle. She stares intently at the paper in her hands.

“So, I know you may not like me that way, but I have to know. And I know this is, like, so elementary school, but could you just write back what you feel? Because I think if I had to look your face while you rejected me, I might cry. Again, so junior high, but please, check ‘yes’ or ‘no’ if you _might, possibly, at all_ feel about me that way _some day_. Love, Ruby. P.S., even if you say no, I’d still love just being your friend. Hope this doesn’t make everything super awkward. It it does, sorry, but I couldn’t hold it in any longer.” Ruby finally finishes and flops down into her seat, her head on the desk. She lets her hair cover the desk, pretending she doesn’t hear everyone mumbling.

“Ah, Miss French, I do think this requires an answer,” Gold points out.

“Mr. Gold, I don’t want to play this game,” Belle says firmly. “It’s not fair to me, or to Ruby, and it’s cruel, demeaning, and humiliating. I could bring you to the school board for this. And my answer is that I’d prefer to learn about the Salem Witch Trials at this moment.” Ruby lets out her breath, deflating like a balloon. Gold says nothing, but she hears his cane clunking on the ground as he goes back to his desk.

He clears his throat awkwardly before saying, “The Salem Witch trials. What do we know about them?” When Ruby looks up, Belle is focused intently on the blackboard.

It isn’t until halfway through geometry when a note lands on her desk. She’d been moping all day since Belle was ignoring her. When she looked at the note, she found her name scrawled on the outside in Belle’s flowing, neat cursive. She looks around to see if anyone is looking, and opens the note.

 _Dear Ruby,_ it reads. _You are my best friend in the entire world. And I am 105% positive that I love you. And not just in a “best friends” way (because I do love you as my best friend). But in an “I want you to shove me against a locker, wrap your hands me in my hair, and make out with me” way. In an “I want you to be my first kiss, my first love, my first everything” way. In an “I think I might want to marry you one day” way. So, now you know, and I know. So, what are you going to do about it? Since it took you this long to pluck up the courage to write a letter, I’ll take the first step. Ruby Lucas, will you go on a date with me? Check ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Love, Belle. Ruby smiles as she circles ‘yes’. P.S._ the note continues, _I know it’s impossible to be over 100% positive of something, but I had to have that extra 5% because I am certain enough for both of us._

When Ruby goes to sharpen her pencil, she drops the note back on Belle’s desk. As she comes back, she and Belle make eye contact, smiling mischievously at each other, leaving the rest of the class wondering what that second note said.


End file.
